A solitary Karim Benzema strike settled Saturday’s clash with Real Madrid as new signing Edinson Cavani watched his side squander a host of chances
Laurent Blanc admits Paris Saint-Germain struggled in front of goal in their 1-0 friendly defeat to Real Madrid on Saturday.
Karim Benzema’s first-half strike was enough to seal victory for former PSG boss Carlo Ancelotti in Gothenburg, although Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Ezequiel Lavezzi in particular spurned excellent chances for the French champions as new €63 million signing Edinson Cavani watched on.
Blanc admitted his side had not been able to match the Spanish side on the ball and lamented their profligacy up front, but was encouraged by les Parisiens‘ spirited performance and willingness to adapt to his new tactical approaches.
“Real were technically a bit better than us, especially in the first half,” the Frenchman told reporters after the match. “We carved out some good chances in the first half, but we struggled with our finishing.
“The positive thing is that my players stood up to the challenge physically. They are starting to understand our new playing system. I am very proud of my players’ commitment. Both teams worked very hard.”
PSG goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu was also in a positive frame of mind following the match and viewed the game as perfect preparations for their Trophee de Champions clash with Bordeaux next weekend.
“We still have things to improve upon, but some of our players have only just returned to training, take myself for example,” Sirigu said.
“Physically, it’s not easy, but we are improving. We tried to play our own football out there, against one of the best teams in the world.
“We need to keep working to ensure we are ready to take on Bordeaux.”